Yoga Nidra

Yoga Nidra is a practice systematized in the 1970s by Satyananda Saraswati. The term has ancient origins, but its meaning was unrelated to the practice as we know it today. The different distinctive features of Yoga Nidra have been inspired by different original tantric practices, which have been harmonized by Satyananda. The practice lasts from 20 minutes to over an hour. The purpose of Yoga Nidra is to extend the hypnagogic state of consciousness, the phase halfway between wakefulness and sleep. In this state, the body is completely relaxed, but the mind is fully awaken. The practitioner is guided by the teacher through verbal instructions, according to a very precise sequence and logic. In particular, the practice of Yoga Nidra is characterized by 8 steps:

• Preparation , during which participants mentally prepare themselves to practise
• Resolution , during which an intention, a specific will, is mentally expressed
• Rotation of Consciousness , during which the attention is focused on different parts of the body
• Breath awareness , during which participants focus on their breath
• Awakening of opposite sensations , during which the teacher evokes several opposite sensations, such as hot-cold, light-dark
• Visualizations , during which the teacher describe images, symbols and scenarios
• Resolution , during which the previously expressed intention will is recalled
• Conclusion , during which practitioners are brought back to the waking state